Freddy Peralta’s tenure with the Mets ended on a brutally sour note, as he got absolutely shelled by the Brewers on July 20 for seven earned runs across just 5 1/3 innings of work. The right-hander took his ninth loss of the year in that outing, giving up eight hits, including two home runs, while striking out six and walking only two. It was a tough way for the Mets’ biggest offseason pitching acquisition to cap off what was already an unsuccessful run.
The Big Offseason Bet That Didn’t Pay Off
Before that disastrous Brewers game, Peralta’s last start before the trade deadline was a little bit better, and the Mets actually won that one. But he only lasted four innings, so he couldn’t factor into the decision. In that outing, he gave up three runs, with just two of them earned, on six hits. He struck out three batters and walked two. Honestly, it just never worked out the way anyone wanted for Peralta or the Mets. He was ultimately dealt to the Tampa Bay Rays for a package of three prospects. The return? Undeniably not as good as it would have been if he had pitched to his career norms. But hey, if he *had* pitched to career norms, the Mets probably wouldn’t have been in this position in the first place.
Who’s Left? A Pitching Staff Gutted
Turns out, Peralta was just one of many arms packing their bags at the deadline. The Mets dealt a whole bunch of pitchers, including starters Freddy Peralta and Clay Holmes (who never even took the mound in a Mets uniform in the second half), as well as relievers Luke Weaver, Brooks Raley, Huascar Brazobán, and A.J. Minter.
Speaking of relievers, Cionel Pérez actually earned the win in the series finale against the Dodgers, a game Peralta started, after pitching two scoreless innings with three strikeouts. Pérez was off to an excellent start in the second half, going five straight appearances without allowing a single run after the break. Unfortunately, the good times hit a snag when he landed on the injured list on Friday with a left forearm strain. That’s never good news for a pitcher. Right around the time Pérez hit the IL, A.J. Minter became the first Mets reliever to get dealt. Minter had a real mixed bag of good and bad outings in the second half before his trade, even giving up a solo homer to Alec Bohm.
With so many veteran arms shipped out and Cionel Pérez hitting the IL, the message is clear: the Mets are throwing their young guys into the fire. It’s go-time for the next generation to prove they belong and show they can be part of the solution moving forward.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Amazin’ Avenue.
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